1. The eyes are compelling over hearts
So beware whenever they turn to disapproval
١. إنَّ العُيونَ عَلى القُلوبِ قَواض
فَافزَع مَتى اعترضَت إلى الإعراضِ
2. And know that if you win a glance
You have angered your heart though your eye was pleased
٢. واعلَم بأنَّك إن ظَفِرتَ بنَظرةٍ
أسخَطتَ قلبَكَ حيثُ طرفُكَ راضِ
3. And a coquettish glance whose eyelids' clouds
Saddened over a fickle wanderer
٣. وغَريرَةٍ سحَّت سَحابُ جُفونِها
حُزناً على مُتَرحِّلٍ نَهَّاضِ
4. When the creditors approached to collect
They requested payment without receiving it
٤. لما دَنَوا لِلبَينِ أهلُ ديونِه
مَطَلوا تقاضاهُ بغَيرِ تقاضِ
5. She said to his she-camel and taught her crying
To quench the thirst of the hero of meadows
٥. قالَت لِناقَتِه وعلَّمها البُكا
تَسقي بطَلِّ نَدىً شَقيق رِياضِ
6. I continued to think you were my ordeal
And affliction since I was born
٦. مازلتُ أحسَبُ فيك أنك مِحنَتي
وبليَّتي مُذ كنت بنتَ مخاضِ
7. So there the resolve of every prudent mind fails
And the determination of every resolute one ceases
٧. فهناكَ يعجزُ كلُّ رَأيٍ حازِم
عَنها ويَنبو كلُّ عَزمٍ ماضِ
8. Except a man whose ambitions were angered for him
So they threw him to achieve some purpose
٨. إلا امرأً غَضِبَت له هِمَّاتُه
فرمَت به غَرضاً من الأغراضِ
9. Or the utmost in seriousness to attain an end
Like me, with meaning, and like the judge
٩. أو غاية في الجدِّ أدرَكَ غايةً
مِثلي مُعانيه ومثل القاضي
10. He judged fairly, upholding its (justice's) limits
For God - no leniency or negligence
١٠. عدلَ الحكومةَ قائِماً بِحدودِها
للَّهِ لا سمحٌ ولا مُتَغاضي
11. So it is as if the son of Wadi gained deposits
For those seeking, and all of them receive
١١. فكأنَّما ابنُ وديع حازَ ودائِعاً
للقاصِدينَ فَكلُّهم مُتَقاضي
12. No matter how much you despair, hold to the sea of virtues
In the sea of every raging storm
١٢. مَهما جَزِعتَ فلُذ ببحرِ مَكارمٍ
في بَحر كلِّ مُلمَّةٍ خَواضِ
13. The dew supported it, so it sickened what it had no ailment
A sickness I was cured of illnesses by
١٣. كدَّ النَّدى يدَه فأمرضَ ما لَها
مَرضاً شُفيتُ به مِن الأمراضِ
14. And I made it for everything I missed
Compensation, and that is the best of substitutes
١٤. وجعلتُهُ من كلِّ شيءٍ فاتَني
عِوَضاً وذلك أوفرُ الأَعواضِ